Newbridge College face Blackrock in today's Leinster Rugby Cup semi-final

Newbridge College face Blackrock in Leinster Rugby Cup semi-final in Energia Park at 3pm today.

Long established as the pre-tournament favourites, Blackrock were able to overcome a serious challenge from St Michael’s in the first round.

Their Dublin rivals showed how you can put the Williamstown school in a bind as long as you have the skill-set and the game plan to go with it.

Newbridge could do a lot worse than take a peek at how St Michael’s pushed ‘Rock to the brink in the 25-20 thriller.

Last November, their Juniors unseated Blackrock in surprisingly convincing fashion in the delayed 2021 Cup final after sharing the 2020 Senior Cup title with Clongowes Wood College.

The Kildare school is not the biggest in terms of hulking forwards. But, it might just be big and able enough to truly compete up-front.

The front row of Finn Mahon, Mark Masterson and Patrick Stapleton has already dealt with an even bigger assignment than ‘Rock in handling the weight of Belvedere (17-10) in the quarter-final.

The locks Max Barry and Shane Treacy will run, hit and hustle all afternoon long.

Captain Kieran Kelly is a no-nonsense, gritty flanker in a cohesive back row with Ronan McGroary and Sam Fitzgibbon.

From there, they do have the athleticism and the footballing ability to stretch the best defences.

Scrum-half Tadhg Brophy was instrumental in taking down Belvo’ through his sharp and incisive decision-making. The battle with Coffey will be a real treat.

It may be asking too much of their 2021 Junior Cup winning golden triangle of out-half Paddy Taylor, Todd Lawlor and Ciaran Mangan to be the sharpest points to their attack.

But, they don’t have to do it all. They just have to perform in their roles as centres John Collins and Tom Waters man the midfield and Callum Bolton covers the backfield at 15 in what is a fascinating match-up.

Newbridge College:

15. Callum Bolton

14. Todd Lawlor

13. John Collins

12. Tom Waters

11. Ciarán Mangan

10. Tom Bohan

9. Tadhg Brophy

1. Finn Mahon

2. Mark Masterson

3. Patrick Stapleton

4. Max Barry

5. Shane Treacy

6. Kieran Kelly – Captain

7. Ronán McGroary

8. Sam Fitzgibbon

Replacements:

16. Oliver Udell

17. Denis Downing

18. Billy Bohan

19. Sam Watson

20. Shane Davitt

21. Diarmuid Enright

22. Adam Larkin Smithers

23. Michael Collins

Blackrock College:

15. Ruben Moloney

14. Charlie Molony

13. Hugh Cooney

12. Luke Kritzinger

11. Eoghan Walsh

10. Zach Quirke

9. Oliver Coffey

1. Max Holmes

2. Gus McCarthy – Captain

3. Paddy McCarthy

4. Tom Brigg

5. Alex Mullan

6. Liam Molony

7. Inigo Cruise-O’Brien

8. Kevin Jackson

16. Mikey Yarr

17. Tom O’Riordan

18. Andreas Andersson

19. Conor Tonge

20. Jack Angulo

21. Will Fitzgerald

22. Conor O’Shaughnessy

23. Maxim Aschenbrenner